CWRP Information Sheet 215E. Toronto, ON: Canadian Child Welfare Research Portal.
Navigating health concerns poses a number of difficulties for families, and these challenges increase when families encounter hardships in several domains of their lives, affecting their ability to adhere to healthcare demands. The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced additional stressors to families and children including quarantine/isolation, health-related concerns, fear surrounding the virus and its variants, and vaccine hesitancy. This Information Sheet presents and extends on Allan et al.’s (2021) analysis of characteristics of child welfare investigations for medical neglect in Ontario. Data were used from the Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect 2018 (OIS-2018), the sixth provincial study to examine the incidence of reported child maltreatment and the characteristics of children and families investigated by child welfare authorities in Ontario.